SLO & Reliability Practical By Samson Tanimawo, PhD Published Dec 20, 2025 4 min read

Incremental SLO Tightening

Tighten SLOs over time as system matures.

Idea

Year 1: 99%. Year 2: 99.5%. Year 3: 99.9%.

Gradual.

Verify

Each tightening: data supports the new target.

Don't aspire blindly.

Avoid

Step changes. 99% to 99.99% in one quarter is risky.

Compound.